Saturday, July 12, 2014
Kabul (BNA) On 10 July 2014, the Senior Officials Meeting of the Heart of Asia – Istanbul Process was held in Beijing. It was co-chaired by Deputy Foreign Minister Ershad Ahmadi of Afghanistan and Vice Foreign Minister Liu Zhenmin of China and attended by senior representatives from 42 parties, namely, Heart of Asia countries and supporting parties.
Delegates discussed the outcome document of the upcoming Fourth Ministerial Conference of the Heart of Asia – Istanbul Process, The Tianjin Declaration of the Heart of Asia – Istanbul Process: Deepening Cooperation for Sustainable Security and Prosperity of the "Heart of Asia" Region as well as progress in confidence building measures in various sectors. They reached broad consensus.
Delegates commended China's active preparation for the fourth ministerial conference. They were confident that the conference will be successful and play a constructive role in ensuring a stable transition and promoting peace and reconstruction in Afghanistan.
The Joint Press Statement of the Senior Officials Meeting of the Heart of Asia – Istanbul Process was issued, calling on relevant parties to complete the electoral process in a timely manner and in accordance with established constitutional mechanisms and legal frameworks, resolve their differences through political dialogue and in the interest of unity and stability of Afghanistan, and successfully conclude the transition of power.
